Both Germany and England conceived their first successful jet-engine fighter in 1940 and both delivered their concepts four years later. The British Meteor was weak at high altitudes, but adept at low level aerobatics – making it a valuable interceptor for Germany’s V-1 flying bombs. Germany’s Messerschmitt 262 had superb handling, but an engine with an average life of only five hours. The American Shooting Star had an alarming accident rate in its early days, but paired with the British Goblin engine it became a success.